This is a letter I wrote directly to a company I wanted to work for (who were hiring). I used their application pack as a template which I then filled out by applying my skills and experience to those required in the person specification and job responsibilities elements.
Hi [Company] Team!
I am writing to you to express an enthusiastic interest in the Online Content and PR Executive role you are currently advertising. Having recently found my feet in the PR and marketing world at my first professional role within the industry (to my great relief) I am ready to pursue a position with a business that demonstrates real integrity for its own organisation and the brands it represents, of which I believe [Company] is a great example.
I have written promotional content for brands and third-sector organisations for years through positive reviews that feature on the Culture Vulture website; this is something I have always loved doing, supporting companies that are doing great things and getting their names out there with engaging content.
My current position has very much been a trial-by-fire into the PR world on a professional level as the marketing team I work alongside is very small and are for the most part visually-oriented (focused on graphic and web design) and so I take a lot of pride in what I have managed to achieve in the past few months.
This includes writing almost all the copy for the new Covvi website (www.covvi.com), producing social media copy for all four brands (Covvi, 42 The Calls Hotel, 22 Street Lane Nursery, Intouch Advance) three times a week across three platforms each, along with producing the underlying marketing strategy to support them. I also produce a blog for each at least monthly, have introduced regular social media analytics (using Google Analytics and Buffer) and audit reports for the team, and established site visits to ensure good ongoing relationships with brand bosses – this isn’t an exhaustive list but hopefully demonstrative of what I have single-handedly managed to accomplish in the short time I’ve been with these companies.
In the role that you are promoting I believe I tick all the boxes that you have outlined and I am delighted as I really like [Company’s] own brand as an agency, that offers strong leadership in a great location and an even more fabulous brand portfolio – if your website and social media content are anything to go by then it would be a pleasure to be part of your organisation.
To clarify regarding my skills and experience: I have a background in writing and digital marketing but have also dabbled in journalism, having completed a BTEC in Creative Media Production and completing two work experience placements at BCB Radio and the Telegraph and Argus.
I believe myself to be highly proficient in the English language: in speaking, in writing, in my vocabulary and in the way I interpret written ideas – demonstrated by my academic experience (which has involved much use of Google Docs), love of reading and writing, and my success in producing blogs and copy so far. Therefore, attention to detail has been fundamental throughout my professional career: in writing roles where proofreading is part and parcel, but also in data management which has involved dealing with swathes of data in need of processing.
Negotiation and persuasion are two vital components of PR and marketing that I have exercised liberally in my current role most recently, whether in the ideas generation social media meetings I hold for the marketing team or when pitching an invitation to collaborate with a brand – the ability to offer mutually beneficial solutions which result in win-win situations is very rewarding for me!
As alluded to above, this also ties in my interest and ability to network online – it is with thanks to this that I was able to establish a position working with The Culture Vultures in the first place, and has allowed me to become deeply invested in my local community through connecting with its business leaders, influencers and other passionate Yorkshiremen and women. Through Twitter, I have been able to contribute to brilliant conversations I otherwise wouldn’t have had access to, leading to my involvement in a number of organisations such as Assembly Bradford, Bradford Civic Society and HowDo Yorkshire.
My research ability is partially fuelled by my masters-level academic experience and partially by my avid curiosity to always be learning new things. As a result of this it never takes me long to get to the bottom of a quandary and this serves me on a daily basis, in and out of the workplace.
More generally, I consider myself to be a person who is driven by inquisitiveness, guided by my well-honed initiative and supported by a network, professionally and personally, that I have built up over the years. I love PR and really enjoy the activities I undertake in my current role, but I believe [Company] to be the ideal place to develop my career as an Online Content and PR Executive within a thriving agency environment.
I truly hope you consider me for this position, and I am more than happy to discuss the above further so please do get in touch if you have any questions.
Yours Sincerely,
Nat Thomson
Contact Tel. No:
Email:
Twitter: